Hurricanes beat Highlanders in Wellington

The Hurricanes have won five of their last six Super Rugby matches against the Highlanders (L1), including each of their two meetings in 2021.

The Hurricanes have won their last six Super Rugby home matches on the bounce against the Highlanders; a seventh consecutive win in this game would equal their longest winning run at home against a New Zealand team (W7 v Chiefs – March 2003 to July 2012).

• The Canes logged a one-point win over the Blues (33-32) in the second round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition, and will now be searching for consecutive wins against Kiwi opposition for the first time since Round 9 of the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
• The Highlanders have lost their last three Super Rugby games in a row; the last time they lost more in succession was a five-game stretch from March to April in 2019, which included two defeats to the Hurricanes.
• The Landers have lost 12 of their last 15 away games against New Zealand opponents in Super Rugby competitions (W3), including their last three on the bounce; two of their three wins in that period have been against the Chiefs, and they have not won away to the Hurricanes since July 2015.
• Jason Holland’s side has made 24 entries into the opposition 22m zone this Super Rugby season, the most of any team in the competition, and eight more than the Highlanders (16).
• Tony Brown’s charges have made 22 exits from their own 22m via kicks in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the most of any team, and seven more than the Hurricanes (15).

Players to watch

• Rhys Marshall (Highlanders) has made 24 carries per 80 minutes in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the most of any player to have played at least 15 minutes.
• Salesi Rayasi (Hurricanes) has scored six tries in his last six Super Rugby games, including a hat-trick in Round 2 of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign; he has never scored tries in back-to-back games.
• Shannon Frizell (Highlanders) has made three dominant tackles throughout the first two rounds of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, more than any other player in the competition.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick-off.

In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.

1.00: PEEEP! We are underway in Wellington at the Cake Tin.

2.00: Jordie Barrett’s pass is knocked down deliberately; penalty in front to the Hurricanes.

3.00: MISS! Barrett’s kick hits the post and bounces out. 0-0

6.00: A pretty messy beginning to the game. Lots of kicking turnovers and errors.

8.00: Highlanders enjoying a sustained 10-phase attack that takes them to the Hurricanes’ 22. Pouri Rakete-Stones strays offside, which allows Mitch Hunt a shot from in front.

9.00: MISS! Hunt, from almost exactly in the same place as Berrett, just further out, hits the post. 0-0

11.00: TRY! Pouri Rakete-Stones takes Ruben Love’s deft pass, and barges through Hugh Renton to score his maiden Super Rugby try in only his third start. 5-0

12.00: CONVERSION! Barrett makes no mistake this time. 7-0

16.00: Ardie Savea is making metres from every scrum, he picks up and charges forward at pace; he’s so hard to bring down. Barrett boots the ball to the 22 after a penalty at the ruck against Renton.

20.00: Both teams haven’t quite settled into the game, lots of errors and penalties being leaked.

23.00: A big scrum by the Landers earns the visitors a midfield penalty, which they kick to the 22.

24.00: NO TRY! A double movement by Connor Garden-Bachop is seen by the ref. Barrett’s try-saving tackle did not go unoticed. Liam Coombes-Fabling’s stunning linebreak from the lineout almost saw him go over under the sticks. What a run! 0-0

27.00: Barrett, who has missed a touch-finder, makes no mistake this time, setting up his side near halfway. However, another poor lineout by the Canes sees the hosts give away possession on their 10m.

30.00: Hurricanes pinged for not rolling away, Hunt calls for the tee.

32.00: MISS! Hunt pushes his kick wide. 7-0

35.00: Highlanders put the Hurricanes’ scrum under more pressure, but the hosts clear; however, the Landers win back the ball, and begin a counter-attack inside the opposition’s half.

37.00: Du’Plessis Kirifi is offside after a Landers’ knock-on, although the flanker is not punished, because Hunt’s penalty does not find touch. Another mistake by the visitors, this time a forward pass, which kills the attack.

40.00: A scrum near the Landers’ 10m will end a dull first half after Jamie Booth’s kick rolls over the in-goal area.

The halftime score was Hurricanes 7 Highlanders 0

41.00: PEEEP! We are back under way in New Zealand.

44.00: Mistakes continue to blight this dull affair.

46.00: MISS! Barrett’s long-range kick is wide. 7-0

50.00: TRY! Billy Proctor crashes over after an 11-phase attack that started from Bailyn Sullivan’s midfield break. 12-0

51.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 14-0

54.00: Landers camped in the 22.

58.00: TRY! Manaaki Selby-Rickit collects a loose ball, spins out of three tackles to put his team on the board. 14-5

59.00: CONVERSION! Marty Banks adds the extras. 14-7

63.00: Highlanders have found some momentum, but mistakes stop the Otago side from taking advanatge.

67.00: More mistakes from Brown’s men, who are making things tough for themselves. Another knock-on gives the Hurricanes a reprieve outside their 22.

69.00: TRY! Peter Umaga-Jensen burned Scott Gregory on the outside before sending Logan Henry – on debut – away for a try next to the posts. 19-7

70.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 21-7

75.00: TRY! Josh Dickson crashes over after 12 phases – game on! 21-12

76.00: CONVERSION! Banks adds the two. 21-14

78.00: A mistake by the Landers gives the Canes a scrum on the home team’s 22.

80.00: A few reset scrums run down the clock. Hurricanes win a scrum penalty.

81.00: The hooter goes, Barrett clears for the win.

FULL TIME

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The final score is Hurricanes 21 (7) Highlanders 14 (0)

Scorers

Hurricanes
Tries – Rakete-Stones, Proctor, Henry
Pen –
Con – J. Barrett (3)
Drop –
Cards –

Highlanders
Tries – Selby-Rickit, Dickson
Pen –
Con – Banks (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 1: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2: Jono Bredin
TMO: Glenn Newman

Teams

Hurricanes 

15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Billy Proctor, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Jamie Booth, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones

Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Devan Flanders, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Logan Henry, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Peter Umaga-Jensen

Highlanders

15 Connor Garden-Bachop, 14 Sam Gilbert, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 11 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 10 Mitch Hunt (captain), 9 Folau Fakatava (captain), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Hugh Renton, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Josh Dickson, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ethan de Groot

Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Scott Gregory